This film is, on a dramatic level, a lot of Hollywood hokum and hooey. But on another level, it is a quasi-documentary. The Hollywood Canteen did exist in 1944 and did feature the efforts of stars and starlets, giving their all for the GIs.
Like many films produced during the WWII years, Hollywood Canteen played a role in the attempts to bolster morale overseas and on the home front. What better way to do that than to create this fantasy about a GI on leave who visits the canteen, meets his dream girl--who happens to be a starlet--and falls in love. The preposterous part is that she also falls in love with him.
The GI, Slim, (played by Robert Hutton) has been dreaming about actress Joan Leslie (played by herself) as he served his country. Visiting the canteen, his only wish is to meet Miss Leslie. Thanks to the machinations of John Garfield, Bette Davis and others, he gets his wish and more. Slim is a humble everyman who might have been portrayed by Jimmy Stewart (except that Jimmy was dropping bombs on Germany from a B-24 in real life). His pal (Dane Clark) is a not-so-humble operator who meets another starlet from Warner Brothers who won't give him the time of day. But it turns out that the "starlet" is really just a studio tour guide (Janis Paige). Ms. Page is really delightful in her role as the girl who eventually gives in to the soldier's rough charms.
I was somewhat surprised that HC was filmed in B&W. But the camera work, lighting and other production values show a sense of pride, despite the fact that they could have just slapped this star vehicle together. And what stars! The cast is a roundup of current talent from Warner Brothers. Since the setting is a canteen, numerous musical performances are included.
With violinist Joseph Szigeti as his straight man, Jack Benny proves it takes a real musician to play as "badly" as he does.
Joan McCracken is the principal dancer in the Ballet in Jive dance number. She was Bob Fosse's second wife. I was surprised when I read that she had been a rockette, because of her diminutive stature, but she was 5'5" and research shows that that was the minimum height for rockettes in her time.
Also notable is a singing number by Kitty Carlisle.
This film was a love letter to servicemen everywhere (and American allies too!). As sappy as it might be, it is a lovely time capsule that captures the real hopes of Americans invested in the war effort and the soldiers who fought so far from home.
Like many films produced during the WWII years, Hollywood Canteen played a role in the attempts to bolster morale overseas and on the home front. What better way to do that than to create this fantasy about a GI on leave who visits the canteen, meets his dream girl--who happens to be a starlet--and falls in love. The preposterous part is that she also falls in love with him.
The GI, Slim, (played by Robert Hutton) has been dreaming about actress Joan Leslie (played by herself) as he served his country. Visiting the canteen, his only wish is to meet Miss Leslie. Thanks to the machinations of John Garfield, Bette Davis and others, he gets his wish and more. Slim is a humble everyman who might have been portrayed by Jimmy Stewart (except that Jimmy was dropping bombs on Germany from a B-24 in real life). His pal (Dane Clark) is a not-so-humble operator who meets another starlet from Warner Brothers who won't give him the time of day. But it turns out that the "starlet" is really just a studio tour guide (Janis Paige). Ms. Page is really delightful in her role as the girl who eventually gives in to the soldier's rough charms.
I was somewhat surprised that HC was filmed in B&W. But the camera work, lighting and other production values show a sense of pride, despite the fact that they could have just slapped this star vehicle together. And what stars! The cast is a roundup of current talent from Warner Brothers. Since the setting is a canteen, numerous musical performances are included.
With violinist Joseph Szigeti as his straight man, Jack Benny proves it takes a real musician to play as "badly" as he does.
Joan McCracken is the principal dancer in the Ballet in Jive dance number. She was Bob Fosse's second wife. I was surprised when I read that she had been a rockette, because of her diminutive stature, but she was 5'5" and research shows that that was the minimum height for rockettes in her time.
Also notable is a singing number by Kitty Carlisle.
This film was a love letter to servicemen everywhere (and American allies too!). As sappy as it might be, it is a lovely time capsule that captures the real hopes of Americans invested in the war effort and the soldiers who fought so far from home.